Byrne pressed himself against the back of the stone pillar, staring intently through a narrow crack. He perceived the Night Demon's massive silhouette standing motionless in front of the pedestal, like a frozen sculpture of darkness.
Strange, why isn't that Night Demon moving? The Elemental Stone on the pedestal isn't glowing either—is it under some kind of restriction?
What a pity. If only it would glow, I wouldn't have to hide from this monster.
Just as Byrne was lowering his head in thought, the stationary Night Demon suddenly turned to look toward his hiding spot. After a brief stare, the creature spotted Byrne's figure and immediately began marching toward his position.
The commotion caused by the Night Demon soon reached Byrne's ears. Heavy footsteps thundered against the stone slabs, shaking the surrounding stalactites until they shattered. The sound was mixed with the scraping of tentacles against the rock walls—a rhythmic, deathly drumming that pounded against Byrne's nerves.
Did the sound I made while moving earlier expose my position, or is the Night Demon's perception far beyond what I expected?
Byrne's heart jumped into his throat. He immediately pulled the Water Stone from his pocket.
Screeech! Screeech!
The dragging sounds of the Night Demon grew closer, and this time, it was no longer moving slowly. A thick black mist expanded with the creature's steps; wherever it passed, the moss on the stone slabs instantly withered and turned black. The fishy stench in the air grew so thick it was almost nauseating.
Byrne held his breath, his gaze darting rapidly around his surroundings. He was currently in an open area of the grotto. Aside from the thick stone pillar next to him, there was no other cover. Trying to bypass the Night Demon to reach the Earth Stone behind the pedestal would be no different from walking into a trap.
Worse still, the Water Stone's cooldown had four minutes and seventeen seconds remaining.
Don't panic, Byrne. Keep calm. Think logically.
Byrne took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. He rapidly recalled the details of the map in his mind, trying to find a way to escape. But the forks in the grotto were complex, and he couldn't remember the direction he came from, let alone the fact that the Night Demon had already blocked any possibility of retreat.
When the Night Demon was less than ten meters from the pillar, it suddenly stopped. The black mist surrounding it began to churn violently, like boiling ink. Several thick tentacles lunged upward and lashed out fiercely toward the stone pillar.
Not good!
Byrne dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike.
Boom!
The hard stone pillar was struck by the tentacles; stone fragments flew everywhere, and a deep gouge instantly cracked across the pillar's surface. Flying debris grazed Byrne's arm, leaving a shallow bloody trail. He rolled to his feet, his soles sliding against the slick moss. Stumbling back several steps, he managed to put some distance between himself and the creature.
Having missed its strike, the Night Demon emitted a dull gurgling sound—a noise that seemed to come from deep underground, carrying a bone-chilling malice. The black mist around it grew even denser, and two more tentacles emerged from the fog. Now, six thick tentacles were flailing in mid-air, each carrying enough force to shatter boulders.
He couldn't face the Night Demon head-on. He had to find a way to keep maneuvering and wait for the cooldown to end.
Byrne's gaze remained locked on the Night Demon as he constantly shifted his footing, using the scattered piles of rubble and stalactites in the grotto as meager cover. The Night Demon's tentacles fell like a torrential rain; every impact with the ground sent shards flying and smashed deep craters into the stone slabs, turning the once-flat floor into a jagged mess.
Several times he was nearly swept by a tentacle. The howling wind carried the stench of the black mist, pressing against him until he could barely breathe.
Two minutes left...
One of the Night Demon's tentacles suddenly changed its trajectory, curling toward his ankle. Byrne leapt into the air, his toe catching on a protruding piece of rubble to propel himself forward. But before he could steady himself, another tentacle was already in pursuit, slamming into the stalactite behind him.
The broken stalactite fell with a sharp whistle. Byrne instinctively curled his body; the rock grazed his back as it smashed into the ground, its sharp fragments cutting across his spine.
Even though this body wasn't real, the pain from the injury was not diminished in the slightest. The intense pain from his back caused cold sweat to bead on Byrne's forehead. Gritting his teeth, he rolled behind another stone pillar. As his wounded back rubbed against the rough rock wall, he sucked in a sharp breath of pain.
Leaning against the pillar, he took two quick, ragged breaths and turned his gaze back to the pedestal. The Earth Stone lay quietly in its groove, but the Night Demon's silhouette stood like an iron wall in front of it. Byrne simply couldn't get close.
One minute left...
The Night Demon seemed to sense his predicament. The black mist churned even more violently, and the six thick tentacles flailed wildly in the air, compressing Byrne's range of movement more and more. It shifted its body slowly, the heavy dragging sound acting like a death knell. Every step made the ground tremble slightly, and the cracks in the stone slabs spread under its immense pressure.
Suddenly, the Night Demon halted. All its tentacles tightened instantly like arrows ready to fly, and then they all lashed out simultaneously toward the pillar where Byrne was hiding. This time, the angle of the attack was cunning, completely sealing off his space to evade.
Byrne's pupils shrank. He instinctively pressed his body against the base of the pillar and ducked low, barely avoiding the topmost tentacle.
Three consecutive booms erupted in his ears. The pillar was struck by three tentacles at once, and more than half of the thick structure shattered instantly, raining stones down like a storm. Byrne was thrown back by the force of the impact, crashing heavily onto the stone slabs several meters away. His chest surged with pressure, and he nearly spat out blood.
He struggled to get up, only to find his right leg pinned under a piece of rubble. A piercing pain shot up from his ankle. The Night Demon approached slowly; the black mist had already clouded his vision, and the foul stench made him feel as if he were suffocating. Six tentacles hovered above his head, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment.
Ten seconds...
Byrne gritted his teeth, using all his strength to push the rubble off his leg. The Night Demon seemed to see through his intent; a tentacle lunged down, aiming for his back.
At that exact moment, the cooldown finally hit zero.
The Water Stone in Byrne's hand suddenly vibrated. A brilliant green light broke through the fabric of his pocket, erupting instantly. The green light was more intense than ever before—like the first rays of dawn—slamming hard against the approaching black mist.
The Night Demon recoiled immediately and vanished completely after a short moment.
Phew, finally dealt with it.
Byrne wiped his forehead and let out a long sigh of relief. Then, he turned and walked to the pedestal, reaching out to take the Earth Stone from within.
Unlike the feel of the Water Stone, this square stone was a deep brown color throughout, its edges embedded with fine rock patterns. It felt heavy in his hand, like a piece of refined iron. Byrne stowed the Earth Stone away and headed toward the grotto entrance.
"Next, time to get the next one."